In my last article I wrote about how education spending in Ontario tripled from 2003 to 2018, and how Ontario created a more expensive system that actually served fewer students from 2003 to 2018. In this article, I'd like to talk about what the taxpayers can afford to pay.
Lots of people want to talk about education but few ask: How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay? To me, that's always the most important question. How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay?
The union executives say just raise taxes, as if that doesn't hurt anyone. Here, for example, is OSSTF union president Harvey Bischof.
Lots of people want to talk about education but few ask: How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay? To me, that's always the most important question. How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay?
The union executives say just raise taxes, as if that doesn't hurt anyone. Here, for example, is OSSTF union president Harvey Bischof.
When asked where the money for bigger raises would come from, Mr. Bischof says, "Here's a start. $3B in foregone revenue for cancelled cap and trade." Mr. Bischof is advocating for a $3 Billion energy tax to pay the teachers unions bigger raises. In other words, Mr. Bishchof blithely says just raise taxes.
I would like to point out that raising taxes does, in fact, hurt people. In particular, the $3 billion energy tax proposed by Mr. Bischof hits taxpayers especially hard for two reasons.
I would like to point out that raising taxes does, in fact, hurt people. In particular, the $3 billion energy tax proposed by Mr. Bischof hits taxpayers especially hard for two reasons.
Firstly, if you must drive 30 km to and from work every day, that does not change when energy taxes go up. You must still drive that same 30 km to and from work every day. You can't avoid it. Therefore, energy taxes hit the working person hardest because energy taxes cannot be avoided.
Secondly, the tax on energy was not proposed to fund compensation increases for teachers or for anyone else. The tax on energy was supposed to raise money to fund energy-alternative programs (such as electrification of automobiles), and for environmental protection programs.
As I said, lots of people want to talk about education but few ask the most important question: How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay?
Secondly, the tax on energy was not proposed to fund compensation increases for teachers or for anyone else. The tax on energy was supposed to raise money to fund energy-alternative programs (such as electrification of automobiles), and for environmental protection programs.
As I said, lots of people want to talk about education but few ask the most important question: How much can Ontario taxpayers afford to pay?